A Word About Phytic Acid

Click on the picture to read the whole article about why grains are a natural part of our diet but you should avoid wheat and gluten.  Two things I have yet to do.... and I do not believe evolution is correct at all.  With that said, this about phytic acid was interesting:

"Some arguments against grains lament the presence of phytic acid, something that is said to block the body’s ability to use zinc and calcium. Not only does some research show that phytic acid serves a purpose in the human body (it works as an antioxidant, helping to protect against heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other diseases according to EarthSave), but once the grains are leavened, the phytic acid’s negative effects no longer apply.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, whole grain consumption “substantially lowers total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin levels.” That means a decreased risk of heart disease. The fiber triggers anticoagulant production which then prevents blood clots, and the antioxidants interfere with an interaction between LDL cholesterol and oxygen, an introduction that could contribute to the clogging of the arteries. In addition, Harvard points out that the fiber decreases the likelihood of experiencing constipation and helps sweep toxic residue out of the body"

Why Eat Flaxseeds Whole

At least sometimes anyway!!  I have never eaten chia seeds but I heard because they get all gelatinous when wet they are good for detoxing.  I also read on another side about some soaking flaxseed and using the gel.  So I thought I would check out what I could find online about them and detoxing here tis from this site: http://www.whole-body-detox-diet.com

"Flax seeds are the main super seed that the Egyptians and Asians were using thousands of years ago. These nutrient-rich seeds have become well-known for their high Omega-3 content and are the common vegetarian source for this important heart-healthy fatty acid (typically found in fish oil).
Flax seeds are a decongestant, emollient, demulcent, expectorant, laxative and purgative. They are high in potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, niacin, lecithin, and vitamin E. The seeds contain several essential fatty acids that inhibit tumor growth and are therapeutic for treating cancers, high cholesterol, mood disorders, and liver disorders. They are very helpful for cleansing the colon and relieving constipation. They also enrich the blood and strengthen the nerves.¹
These seeds are also gelatinous like chia seeds and swell to produce a gelatin, though not as thick as chia. The soaked seeds can be used as a thickener or vegan egg replacement in recipes. Use the soaked seeds to make our popular flax crackers.
Flax and chia seeds are important detox aids for cleansing the colon and relieving detox symptoms. To relieve slow elimination, add 2-3 tablespoons of freshly ground seeds to a glass of water and drink on an empty stomach - preferably first thing in the morning."  

This interested me because I had heard that it was almost pointless to eat them unless they were ground.  And they are cheaper than chia seeds but not as amazing apparently.

Oil

"Healthy oils like olive oil... canola oil..."  Ever heard it before???  Have YA?!!  Well I did for years!!  From that little brunette nurtionist on the Today Show, from my mom who is into nutrition.  Then my mom told me, Canola oil really isn't good for you.  And I just officially quit buying it.  Read this from Food Renegade. 

Olive oil is what I'm using, I intend to get some organic unrefined coconut oil to have on hand.  I have also been getting unrefined sunflower oil the cost was cheaper than olive oil but a little more than canola at my least favorite place on earth, (next to Chuckie Cheese) Walmart.  While we aren't fans of it in baking or as a dressing at this point, it is YUM for sauteing and frying eggs in.  It's also supposed to be great for skin.

I Done Soaked Me Some Beans

Beans oh beans.  So many cans of you in my lopsided lazy susan... enough about my living in a "before" kitchen for the next few years...
Back to beans.
 
Canned Beans -bad for you.  Dead beans, not as nutrious and harder to digest resulting in musical fruit. :)  Improperly prepared so as to not release as much phytic acid as with soaked beans.  BPA leaches into canned food.

Soaked beans-  take everything above and make it opposite. ;)  Or I can do it for you, LIVE beans, more nutrients, no chemicals, more phytic acid released out of them, easier to digest.  I have read the longer you soak the easier they digest.  I also read to soak for days... I didn't try that my first time around.  Though I did try to keep the temp close to 140 degrees,  I read a couple different places to do that.  I also, to help with some fermenting, put in a little vinegar.  I used white, cause that's what I had, I know I need to get some organic apple cider vinegar but, one thing at a time.  I also read to cook them low and slow.  I sorta did that.

I decided to try my first bean soakage with black beans, it's the bean we use the most and I usually buy 2-3 cans a week all swimming in BPA goodness. 

One 16 oz bag of beans gave me 4 - 1.5 cup + (1 cup I used the day of) bags of beans I put some in the freezer, I put a bag of them next to a can a beans and it looked about right.

My process: (that may be subject to change but I was pretty happy with the intial turnout )

Rinse beans, put in my crockpot, covered them with water about 2 inches above them. 

*CORRECTION* from when I posted yesterday, I filled my crockpot with water 2inches from the TOP of the crockpot.  I realized I posted wrong info as I got some great northern beans soaking, just now upstairs, so I raced down here because ONE person maybe just tried to soak beans in not enough water!!!  NNOOOO!!

Added a tablespoon of vinegar, I read you could do 2 but I didn't want the taste to be weird.  Next time I will try 2 because I couldn't taste anything at all.

Turned the crockpot onto warm.  I checked the temp as it got going with my food thermometer.  I wanted to keep it at 140 degrees,  I ended up putting the lid adjar and that kept them at about 150 and I was happy with that.  I let them be for about 8.5 hours.

I then drained and rinsed the beans, put new water in with a tsp of salt, which I will double next time. covered with water above 2 inches again and cooked them high for 4 hours.  And that was it.  Not too bad.  Next time to avoid the all day affair I will just soak them the night before or who knows maybe give them a full 24 and then cook them in the morning for the 4 hours.  You may now gaze upon my beautiful beans :

As to the gas question, I had some tonight, so I will have to see if somehow things feel different. :)

Disclaimer: I am a rookie and NOT a professional bean soaker, are there better methods out there?  Probably but out of my research, this is what I came up that for me I thought was fairly effective and in the range of work I was willing to do.  I haven't gotten to the point where I want to soak for days and change out water and all that.  Maybe someday.

Food Cooking

Food and cooking, cooking and food, I like food, I hate to cook, I would rather clean, organize, almost anything, except grocery shopping maybe... and public speaking... but back to the point.  In my quest for a healthier family I am realizing, girl's gotta do a lot of cooking, a lot of caring about food and preparing.  Also to save money, we have all but quit eating out all together, a win win really, but I have relegated myself to the fact that after a long day of... whatever, cleaning, kids, budgeting, that I don't get to cop out at the end of day and order pizza.  Changing my mindset has helped, all the reasons to cook for the fam are good, healthier, less sickness, less chemicals, more money.  When I think of it as a priority right up there with clean clothes, then it gets easier, for the most part.  Lately I have been learning about grains and beans, with the whole Paleo craze, I told myself, aint nobody taking my bread or beans OR cheese, I love cheese. so much.  Stupid fad diets anyhow.  Well some of what they are saying makes some sense, again, check this link.  I also read how beans are the same way with the phytic acid.  Hence I soaked beans for the first time.  I am trying to eliminate canned foods as well.  Check up in my links I have some good resources up there.  I don't have enough hours in the day to learn it all but slowly I am building on my information.  So come, learn with me, hate to cook maybe a little less with me because you know the benefits are real food are so far reaching...

No Knead Pizza Dough, ya know?

I know for a fact that so many greenie blogger ladies are light years ahead of me on the spelt-sprouting, grinding, but I'm in transition here, as in used to buy that weekly poisonous frozen pizza.  I would still like to know if letting your dough sit for 8 hours helps along any fermenting and breaking down of phytic acid.  Big word, yeah I just learned it, this week, HERE and it overwhelms me to think that grains are probably doing more harm than good unless they are fermented and sprouted ugh, dang.  It practically makes this post pointless but whatever it took me months to find a pizza crust, THIS easy and THIS good.  What do I mean by good??  Like not bready biscuity, but chewy, bubbly awesome.  I found this online here.

As I am notorious for using recipes as a guide and follow it, for the most part, I did skip some of the last steps, cause that's how I roll, sometimes it backfires, though most of the time, not. ;)

"No Knead Pizza Dough

This dough is very forgiving. The second time I made it I only let it rise for 5 hours in my hot Arizona kitchen. I also didn't let it rest after shaping for as long as the recipe directed and it still turned out wonderfully.

Yield: about 3 balls of dough (you can easily double this recipe)

Ingredients:

3 3/4 cups (500 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour <sprouted organic wheat or spelt, if you're awesome, I'm not... yet.
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast < if you're awesome, yeast I didn't know existed
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (be sure not to use really hot water as that will kill the yeast)

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Gradually add the water, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the water is incorporated and a shaggy dough forms. You may need to use your hands to fully incorporate the water. Just remember, you don't need to knead!"

So I have made this twice, loved it both times.  The second time I made it first thing in the morning, once you mix it, put it in a greased bowl with plastic wrap, and let it set out for alllll darn day.  It, was, SO good.  We used to eat a lot of Papa Murphy's and my husband and I liked this crust better, my best attempt yet and finally I was satisfied with my dough!!  I used a big pizza pan with the holes, cooked it for 10-15 minutes at 450 on the bottom rack.  Pizza Perfection.  And I've had a lot of floppy disappointments when it come to homemade pizza